Ukraine: David and Goliath

Fires continued to burn in Kiev overnight Wednesday- but a respite may be on the way. A statement on the government's website late Wednesday said Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich and opposition leaders have agreed to a truce and to the start of...

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Perhaps it is an odd comparison, but it seems to fit with images to support it. Many Ukraine citizens want to align with the European Union. When the opportunity was at hand, their President balked. Why did President Viktor Yanukovych not accept the $50 billion loan package that came with strings attached that would modify the government’s behavior? The alternative was to reject the package to maintain favorable status with Russia and the Putin government. That would have been an easier path he must have thought, and personally more beneficial.

Sergey Dolzhenko /European Pressphoto Agency

Yanukovych’s judgment proved wrong. He was the most powerful, commanding the military and police. But, the will of the Ukraine people wasn’t inclined to accept his decision.

People protested, like David against Goliath. With the support from allied people and government in the region, and backed by the US and West, the Ukraine government is buckling to pressure for early elections that will give the people an opportunity to vote their voice in the matter.

At that point, if the elections are fair, the outcome will guide the government toward what the people want.

The story here is by boots on the ground reporters who are in harms way to tell the truth.

“Ukraine’s president open to early vote, Polish leader says; scores reported killed in clashes

The Post's Will Englund gives a first-person account of what it's like on the ground for protesters and citizens in Kiev. (The Washington Post)

WRITTEN BY Will Englund UPDATED: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 4:20 PM E-mail the writers

KIEV, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has told European foreign ministers that he is open to early presidential and parliamentary elections as a way of resolving Ukraine’s deepening and increasingly violent crisis, the Polish prime minister said Thursday evening in Warsaw, according to news services.

Yanukovych met with the top diplomats of Poland, France and Germany for four hours in the afternoon, after which his visitors left to confer with opposition leaders.

Radislaw Sikorski, of Poland, tweeted that they went to “test a proposed agreement” with the heads of the three main political parties opposing Yanukovych. Afterward, as it grew late, the three returned to the presidential offices and met with Yanukovych again.”

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James A. George has over 25 years of experience working in the government consulting space with many years interacting with Congressional staff and government executives as a program manager and executive in developing policies. He was liaison between the Office of Secretary of Defense and the Aerospace Industries Association addressing standards for electronic commerce. He has written hundreds of papers and a book titled Smart Data, Enterprise Performance Optimization Strategy (c)2010 Wiley Publishing. He has published columns titled "The American Political System" and wrote a new book titled How to Select and American President (c)2011 All Rights Reserved.